


The Lion, The Wolf, and The Wall

by AHHHH123



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:35:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27663470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHHHH123/pseuds/AHHHH123
Summary: Post Dance of Dragons, Sansa leaves the Vale with Jamie, Brienne, Pod, and Sandor and heads to Castle Black to reunite with her half brother Jon.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth, Jaime Lannister/Sansa Stark, Jon Snow/Val, Sandor Clegane/Brienne of Tarth, Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark, Theon Greyjoy/Jeyne Poole
Comments: 15
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

The whiteness of the snow clamfogued the wolf perfectly but there was no mistaking the red eyes, “Fuck Sake” Sandor whispered and pushed Sansa behind him his hand reaching for his sword,

“Ghost?” Sansa called the direwolf tilted his head.  _ That is what Jon named him Ghost,  _ “Ghost to me!” obediently and silently the direwolf padded toward her, “good boy” 

“What the fuck?” Sandor asked as she scratched Ghost behind his ears. She felt the tears in her eyes and Ghost looked at her knowing.

“Lady is dead Ghost, the Lannister made Father kill her, I’m sorry I tried to save her” but Ghost already knew that didn’t he? The night Lady died Nymeria howled and surely so did Bran and Rickon’s wolves and maybe Ghost did too, if Ghost ever made a sound. 

“Did you steal my wolf again Val?” a voice laughed from the woods, a man dressed in the blacks of the Night's Watch came from forth.

“Jon-”

“Sansa!” 

He looked at her like she was the Ghost white as the snow, hair as red as his wolf’s eyes. He embraced her and she couldn’t help but wept, “Sansa how did you- how?”

“It doesn’t matter” she lied “we’re together again” he smiled at her 

“The lone wolf dies”

“The pack survives” they finished in unison 

John and Val had been hunting in the woods together, and Sansa, along with her retinue which consisted of Sandor Clegane, Podrick Payne, and Brienne of Tarth rode back to Castle Black. Once they arrived they split up by gender to find their lodgings. Brienne found a bed among wildling spearwifes but Val insisted that Sansa could have the tower room. 

“You can have my old chambers and any of the dresses Queen Selyse gave me, I much prefer mine own clothes” Val opened the door to her apartment in the Hardin’s tower Sansa was surprised at how nice it was. It was at the top level and the windows looked down and out at the yard, the fire was lit and the floor was covered in pelts. The four poster bed was decorated with a fine duvet and no doubt a goose down mattress underneath “Enjoy!” Val turned to leave.

Sansa stopped her “But where will you sleep?” she asked 

“A woman of the free folk sleeps where she wants with who she wants”

“oh,  _ Oh _ ” Sansa blushed but Val only chuckled.

“Don’t worry I come here lots to visit mine Monster” 

“Monster?” Sansa inquired, did she need Wun-Wun?

“Dalla’s son” Val smiled sadly “Poor little monster all alone save his aunt, perhaps I shall give him a cousin. How would you like to be an aunt?” Sansa could feel the heat coming off her ears that only made Val laugh the harder. After Val left Sansa sat on the bed and opened the wardrobe to see the dresses Queen Selsye had given Val and Val had given her. She picked one dark red velvet to match the flaming heart Queen Selsye had embroidered all over, but the sleeves and neckline were lined in fur so the cold couldn’t pierce her skin. Sansa understood why Val wouldn’t want such a dress but she had been draped in a marriage robe of Lannister crismon, the flaming heart was less offensive than that. When she had finished changing a King’s man came to her door, 

“His Grace King Stannis, asks you to join him Grace Queen Selyse and the Princess Shrieen for dinner”

“I would be delighted let me fretch my companions,”

“His Grace invited you, he didn’t say anything about your guests”

“Please tell King Stannis that myself Lady Brienne of Tarth and Podrick of house Payne will be delighted to join him for dinner” Sansa had decided that bringing Sandor Clegane and Jamie Lannister would be too much right now but her would have King Stannis meet with them eventually, Brienne would know how to conduct herself and Podrick would stare at his shoes but that couldn’t be helped bringing the Hound and the Kingslayer would only infuriate Stannis. 

“Ummm…” the King’s man muttered uncomfortably as Sansa smiled. She had no doubt that Stannis had given him strict instructions not to allow Sansa to bring guests but Sansa could match Stannis in stubbornness “okay” the poor knight relented. 

Lady Brienne was also in Hardin’s Tower so she was easy to find, she had also been giving new garb a uniform of the black brothers but the grab fit her well and Sansa said so.

“My Lady is too kind”

“ _ Your Lady  _ is speaking truly” Sansa grabbed Brienes arm and walked with her to the Flint barracks to collect Pod. Pod was speaking with a group of recruits his own age in his cell, they were laughing Podrick wasn’t. Sansa cleared her throat as she was Brieene stood in the doorway the brothers turned to them and bowed with a chorus of ‘m’ladies’.

“Come Pod we must meet with King Stannis”

“K-k-king Stannis wants to meet me?”

“Yes” Sansa lied if anything it would impress Pod’s roommates “And he doesn’t like to be kept waiting” Podrick jumped and scrambled to pull on his cloak and gloves as the three of them exited the barracks on their way to the King’s tower.

“Does King Stannis really want to meet me?” Pod whispered once they were in the yard.

“King Stannis wants to meet me, but I do believe I owes you quite ‘a thank you’ you killed a knight of the King’s Guard during his battle, if you didn’t he would have lost many more men perhaps even his life” 

“But- but that’s not why I did it- I mean- I didn’t mean to- it was only that his lordship that he meant to kill-”

“I know what happened” Sansa assured Pod but his face still looked rather troubled 

At the King’s tower Stannis admitted Sansa guest with a scowl and grinded his teeth, but places at the dinner table had been set for them, Sansa found out Val and Jon were also invited to dinner. Stannis took his place at the head of the table to his right was the red woman not his wife, Melisandre sat next to Jon, but Jon preferred to speak to the woman on his left Val, across from them Sansa took her seat surrounded by her own companions Briene next to Stannis the brother of her beloved Renly, and poor Pod next to Queen Selyse. Princess Shrieen sat next to her mother as the table was wide enough to allow two to eat abreast at the other head of the table opposite Stannis. 

For a moment no one said anything before Brieene turned to Stannis “Your Grace” she pleaded “I must let you know that whatever you heard about me slaying your brother Renly it isn’t true I can’t get you proof and what happened I can’t-”

“Renly was a traitor and usper,” Stannis interrupted “But he was my brother nonetheless, and I loved him, so did you I suspect. Don’t worry Lady Brieene if I thought you a murder of my kin I would not feast you here, you would be in an ice cell, no Renly reaped what he sowed and thats all we shall say of it” the red woman squinted a little at Stannis before nodding and taking a sip of wine. 

“My business concerns you Lady Sansa and you Val” Stannis took a gulp of wine before continuing “I promised Val to the next lord of Winterfell, you must understand if I claim Winterfell in your name, it will be as good as giving it to the Lannisters” 

“I understand your grace” Sansa reassured him  _ so he was worried about that  _ “but may I give you a piece of advice?” Stannis nodded “Their must be a Stark in Winterfell, Val is a great Warrior and may be a greater lady but she will not inspire loyalty in my father’s bannermen, neither will the southern knight you wed her too” 

“And Tyrion Lannister will inspire loyalty! Ha! Shall we ask his brother? I know you brought the Kingslayer, why not his squire?” Briene tensed and Podrick turned white then green as Stannis gestured to him.

“You misunderstand your grace, I will never be the lady of Winterfell I have been bantered and traded for that claim since my brothers died, yes Winterfell is my home but I will not be Lady of it, but Eddard Stark had another living child.” 

Everyone turned to Jon.


	2. How they reunited Part One;

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandor Clegane leaves the Quiet Isle to join the tourney in the Vale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter doesn't take place after the previous one it's a more of a prequel on how Sandor, Briame and Pod reunite with Sansa.

Sandor Clegane had been living on the quiet isle when he heard of the tourney at the Vale, he would go he decided, there was alway a mystery knight or two at these things. He only needed to win one or two tilts and there he would disappear again and use the winnings to buy enough food to get the brothers through winter. He picked out armor from the collection that washed up on the quiet isle and rode Stranger towards the mountains of the moon. 

Sandor walked up to the line of Pavilions hood pulled over his face to cover his scars. He was hoping that he wouldn’t see anyone he knew and if he did that he would see them before he saw them. 

“That’s a mighty fine horse” A squire told Sandor pointing to Stranger. 

“Thanks.” Sandor said indifferently and tried to move on but the squire insisted on talking.

“How much for the creature?” The squire asked

“He’s not for sale” 

“That’s a shame, I would love to ride him tomorrow maybe I’ll win him from you eh?” Sandor couldn’t help but grin a little at the boy’s hubris, it reminded him of Joffrey they both had blonde hair after. Sandor had not mourned Joffs death, but there was a time where Joff had been like a little brother to him. 

“You win many tilts then boy?” the squire made a face at that.

“I’m no boy! I won my last tourney where I was knighted, I’m to be married soon I’m meeting the girl tonight at the feast” _I pity her then_ Sandor thought he had heard of Lords setting up tourneys to give their sons spurs shows how much knighthood was worth.

“My apologies _Ser_.” Sandor told him a bit sarcastically, but the boy seemed satisfied and hautely walked away. 

Sandor tried Stranger to a tree giving him enough rope to reach a small stream to drink and graze the little autumn pasture left, and left for the feast. He didn’t dare go in but took some ale outside. Just as he settled in he saw the bloody up jumped squire joking with another boy around his age. 

“Aye!” The boy called to him, waving rather drunkenly. Sandor lifted his flagon to return greeting but it appeared that the two boys were approaching him taking more wine from the table _Bloody Hell._

“Here he is! The hedge knight who called me ‘boy’ I remember is fucking half melted face” _I should have held my fucking tongue the last thing I need is a fight with some Lord’s son._

“So I am, have you met your bride yet?” the boy made a face, obviously their meeting have not gone well which did not surprise Sandor in the least. 

“Just so happens I did. Piece of work she was, Alayne Stone bloody bastard” he almost choked on his wine “ _Bloody bastard!_ But she’s a bloody rich bastard and I suppose that’s all that matters” Sandor couldn’t help but indulge his own curiosity 

“Whose Bastard would Alayne Stone be?” Jon Arryn never had any bastards only that sickly Robin, King Robert had a bastard in the Vale be he never recognized her so Sandor highly doubted she was rich. 

“Our Lord Protector’s - Littlefinger’s”


	3. How they reunited Part Two;

Podrick Payne came back from the Gates of the Moon. He coughed loudly and stomped around to get Jamie and Briennes attention from inside of the tent. Jamie came out first still pulling on his trousers and shirtless, 

“Well was she there?” Jamie asked impatiently 

“It was her alright, she dyed her hair but it was her” Pod said,Brienne thought Sansa may have gone to the Vale in search of her aunt and the common folk had said that a mysterious bastard girl about Sansa’s age had appeared there. 

“Well shit” Jamie said. Brienne exited the tent. She had spent more time getting ready and was dressed in trousers, tunic and boots. In her hand she held Jamie’s shirt which she threw at him. Jamie lifted his right arm to catch it with his phantom hand instead it landed on his face.

“Isn’t it good that we’ve found her?” Pod asked.

“Not if Petyr Baelish has her,” Jamie yelled over his the linen covering his mouth as he pulled down the shirt over him “if he’s been harbouring she all this time while lying to Cersei there’s a reason, he would give her up easily”

“What- what if she wants to stay in the Vale?” Pod asked 

“I promised her Lady mother I would protect her, if she wants to stay in the Vale I’m staying with her” Brienne announced. 

Jamie rolled his eyes “You can get off your bloody high horse Lady Brienne, we all made promises to Lady Catelynn” 

“I didn’t” Pod added “but Sansa is Lord Tyrion’s Lady and I’ll stay with her too, if she wants me too” Pod perked up a little as if he got an idea, “hey do you think Lord Tyrion could be with her do you think Littlefinger could be hiding both of them?”

“No” Jamie told the boy sharply, ending the conversation. Jamie turned to Brienne to tell her “Well I suppose you will have to enter the tourney” 

“ _Me!”_ she cried to which Jamie waved his lack of right hand.

“I am in no condition to joust, besides I left my golden armor in King’s Landing, you do know how to joust my Lady?” Brienne thought back to Evenfall hall, her father had allowed her never jousted in a tourney before or against an opponent that wasn’t made of straw. 

“I-I-I would be better suited for the meley” 

“I’m sure you would m’lady but what would my good-sister Sansa Stark think? If her rescuer was in the meley like some sell swords instead of the tilts like a proper knight” Brienne grumbled acceptance and Jamie ordered Pod to set up a target for Brienne to practice against. _It’s no use._ Brienne thought she was hopeless. The first round against the target she missed completely the second she hit it and third as well, she wished she could practice for longer but time was of the essence. Brienne would go to the gates of the moon alone, Pod and Jamie would follow posing as a farmer and his son. Jamie’s white coarser ‘Honour’ was much too nice for any farmer to own but Gods help the man who tried to part Jamie from him. Briene would ride Jamie’s other horse “Glory” which she shared with Pod. 

A half hour later Jamie and Pod arrived riding double to the tourney. Jamie hopped down and helped Pod to do the same when his eyes lazily glided over the crowd gathered.

“Maiden, mother and crone!” Jamie cursed pulling his hood over his face.

“What is it” Pod whispered frantically to Jamie. 

“My brother is here” 

“Tyrion!

“No not that kind of brother, my brother of the King’s Guard - Sandor Fucking Clegane”


	4. Back to Castle Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place after the first chapter, not during the Tourney at the Vale. This is also my longest chapter yet but it is told from four perspectives (Jon, Sansa, Jamie and Brienne) so it's more like four mini chapters taking place very close together, hope that will make sense when you read it.

Jon:

Arya is coming. 

That’s what the letter said, but something didn’t make sense. 

“It can’t fucking be Arya because she was with me when I found out about the fucking bastard of Bolton” Sandor tried to explain to Lord Commandor Jon Snow. Jon nodded curtly trying to hide his disappointment. 

“Jon I’m so sorry” Sansa whispered, but Jon couldn’t bear to look at Sansa, Arya was her sister too, her _full-blooded_ sister, how could he act like he was the only one that missed Arya.

“And then what happened” Jon directed the question at Sandor who looked back at him blankly, “You said that you found out that this impersonator was in Winterfell and you were still with the real Ayra why isn’t she with you now? Where did she go! Goddamn it Clegane she’s only a little girl! How could you lose her!” Jon sat back down ashamed that he raised his voice.

“There was a fight- I got hurt pretty bad, she left me we both thought I was going to die, she said she was going north to you-” Sandor explained, _of course Sandor didn’t abandon her he was dying and Arya wanted to see him? Of course she did, who else did she have left._ But Sandor wasn’t done yet he cleared his throat “She was headed to Saltpans” the words sounded like they hurt him but Saltpans? Saltpans was far but everywhere was far from the Wall he could send a ship to Saltpans he could get her back.

“I understand, we don’t have any ships to spare because of the situation in Hardhome but surely if we move some things around but-” Sansa interrupted him.

“Jon news hasn’t reached the Wall yet, but Saltpans is in ruins” her voice was soft but it cut into him like knives _no, no, NO! Not when he finally knew where she was, not when he was so close to finding her._

“I’m so sorry Jon” Sansa told him again placing a hand on his, hot wet tears rolled down his face. 

“She’s brave, she made it past the gold cloaks, she made it this far, she made it out I know it. She will be fine as long as she has her sword” if Sansa was trying to reassure him or herself Jon couldn’t tell.

“Her- her sword?” Jon asked, his voice shaking.

“Yes Needle she called, proper blade it was she wasn’t bad with it either better than some so called knights” Sandor added. _Needle she kept it, Arya I can’t keep you safe but maybe the sword I gave you can._ Jon took a moment to compose himself. _I am a man of the night's watch; I have no sisters, only brothers,_ but Sansa’s hand was still on his and he knew that was a lie. She looked so much like Lady Catelynn, the woman he never called mother but she had grown bolder in their time apart fiercer _like a direwolf, like Ygritte._

...

Sansa:

So knowing that they would not find their sister, Jon and Sansa went to greet the false Arya. Jon was dressed soberly in black but today his reds were red from tears. Red eyes, like his direwolves. Sansa’s blue eyes which were watery too. Snowflakes stuck in the white fur trimming of her dress, it was a thick blue velvet the warmest she owned but outside Castle Black’s gates it hardly made a difference the cold penetrated all. Between the sibling stood the direwolf Ghost bristling, at Jon's side was Val the Wildling Princess and now his fiance. Sansa had brought Sandor because she knew he missed Arya as well, and all shared a secret hope that there had been some mistake and the real Arya would come and Jon would tousle her hair and Sansa would scold him for doing so and comb it out and braid it. Yet when Stannis’ men arrived they did not bring the real Arya they brought -

Jeyne, Jeyne Poole

Her nose was blackened from frost and she bent like a woman thrice her age but it was her Sansa embraced her friend at once only to hear Jeyne yelp like a wounded animal. Sansa pulled back and looked down at Jeyne stomach was under her dress, her ride cage bent grotesquely, Sansa grasped.

“A maester! A maester quickly! Can’t you see she’s hurt!” Sansa cried and Jeyne was whisked away to find Sam the closest thing to a maester at the Wall. 

Sansa had been so caught up with her friend she didn’t realise Jon had unsheathed his sword Longclaw,

  
“They were your brothers!” Jon screamed with tears in his eyes once more but he was yelling at an old man, _what was he doing_? Then Sansa recognized the face. The face of Theon Greyjoy.

… 

Jamie:

  
  


Sansa sat alone in the garden under the east wall when Jamie had spotted her. A small moment of peace in her earth shattering day. Jamie Lannnistere approached nervously afraid she might want to be alone, she looked so beautiful alone in the garden snowcovered in a clean white a halo of snowflakes on her red hair. But when she saw him walking toward her she welcomed him to sit next to her and he did.

“King Stannis just received some news, my brother Tyrion he’s been stopping his coming to Westeros with the dragon queen” he studied Sansa face as she took the news in but it was no use spend as much time in court as she did you soon learn to make your face a mask _especial in the court of my son Joffery first of his name_. Then she laughed, she laughed with tears in her eyes but he could tell if she was laughing or crying truly. “Sansa, I’ve been thinking why did my father marry you to Tyrion and not me?” 

“You were away- captured” 

“I know but surely there was never a doubt of my return?” Sansa pouted her lip a little when she came up with a response

“I think you’re father mean you to inherit Casterly Rock and Tyrion to inherit Winterfell from me, and he decided I must be married before Jofferey so the Tyrells could not wed me to Wilias”

“Do you wish ever, that it was me and not my brother despite all that” she looked him in the eyes

“I sometimes wished I was to marry Tommen instead of Joffrey but I must tell you Ser, I never considered that Lord Tywin may arrange a match with you instead of Tyrion, have you?” Jamie felt nervous all of the sudden. 

“I’m not sure if you would have know this but your grandfather and my father tried to arrange a match for me with one of his daughters” 

“I didn’t” 

“I stayed in Riverrun and feasted and danced with the Tully sisters and Petyr Baelish who was only a ward, but at the end of the stay my father tried to arrange a match between my and Lady Catelyn only for Hoster Tully to say she was promised to Rickon Stark,” Jamie gave a harsh laugh “my father thought it would be an insult for me to take the daughter Rickon Stark denied, but I think he would have given in if-”

“If what?” Sansa nudged him to go on, 

“Harrenhal” a word, but a monster of a word. A word that changed everything, _The Tourney at Harrenhal, how many lives did Aerys and his son ruin that day?_

“oh, of course” Sansa whisphered “I should have remember I was being stupid” 

“Your not stupid, don’t let anyone tell you that” Jamie reached out for her hand “but yes, yes I’ve thought of marrying you, if I had been in the Red Keep and not Tyrion”. He noticed the shimmer of a tear floating down Sansa’s face small as a pinhead, he wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. 

“I think I would have liked that better, Tyrion was alway kind to me but- I heard what happened to - what happened to his first wife” _Of course someone would have told her about Tysha_. Did she not have a right know? Someone would have told her just to frighten the poor child, to say that she was wed to a hideous imp that prostituted his wives for sport. 

“Whatever you heard about Tysha, that wasn’t Tyrion’s fault that was all my fathers doing Tyrion loved Tysha” he could barely tell her his part in that bloody business not yet, maybe not ever _you’ll have to when Tyrion arrives to kill you for it you stupid idoit!_

Sansa stood up and brushed a few snowflakes off she grown, “I need to talk to Jon, about Tyrion being back, you should tell Pod to but under no circumstances is he leave the wall in search of Tyrion without my permission” Jamie gave a curt know and bow to Sansa and left in search of Podrick. 

…

Brienne 

Returning to her chambers Brienne was surprised to see Lady Sansa already sitting across from the fire staring into the flames, deep in thought. Her dress was wet where it had recently been snow covered, and so was her hair, the slick amber in her hair danced in the firelight.

“My Lady” Brienne called with a bow to break Sansa’s trance. 

“Lady Brienne, I was looking for you” Sansa’s voice was little more than a whisper. “I have gotten news” 

“Is it Lady Ayra?” Brienne questioned, she had felt so useless having never seen Lady Ayra she couldn’t even say that girl who arrived today wasn’t Lady Catelynn’s daughter. 

“No,” Sansa said with a kind smile that didn’t reach her eyes “it’s about my husband” Brienne sat down on her cot _news of Lord Tyrion?_

“He has returned,” Sansa continued, “he is at Dragonstone with the dragon queen” Sansa said it with the causal tone one might describe diner not dragons. “I want you to go to him, and deliver a message from me after that you can return to Evenfall Hall if you wish” 

Brienne clutched her bedding for support Dragonstone then home? Could she go home after all this time? 

“Brienne please” Sansa’s voice was sad and sincere now “I wasn’t good to Tyrion, I think he loved me I think he wanted me to love him, there could have been a chance for us, if-if I” she told a deep breath to compose herself “I need you to tell Tyrion that Joffery’s death- that it was Littlefinger and Lady Oleena and Ser Dontos, and me only I didn’t know what I was doing at the time.” Was that true? Brienne had never asked about King Joffrey's death ; she had only assumed Sansa could never do such a thing. “There is more, my I’ll put the rest in a letter, Jamie will write one too so will Pod”

“They will not come with me?” Sansa looked at her like someone looks at a child they pity. 

“I’m afraid this is something you will have to do alone. King Stannis will never let Jamie go especially to the dragon queen and Pod I think he would go with you but” Pod had been through enough danger Brienne would not take him away now, not when he was safe around boys his own age. 

“No Pod should stay here and Sandor Clegane?” 

“Sandor Clegane has no love for Tyrion, nor Tyrion him if I sent him I fear one would kill the other” Brienne nodded she didn’t want to go with Sandor Clegane, she wanted to stay and protect Sansa but if Sansa asked her to go them she must go. _Must she? Must she go home?_

“Lady Sansa, but why?”

“Because Tyrion gave me nothing but kindness and I need to repay his kindness, I am the Lady Lannister and a Lannister always pays their debts. If you do this debt to him will be repaid and your debt to my mother” Sansa placed a hand on Brienne’s shoulder and kissed her cheek, before leaving her alone in a cold room as if the heat form the fire had left with her hair.

Brienne decided she needed to talk to Jamie; she found him in his room drafting a letter to Tyrion in his childish left handed script. 

“Lady Sansa is sending me to Dragonstone, then home” she told him 

Jamie grinned at her “Aren’t you pleased? You’ve always spoken so fondly of your sapphire isle” 

“It’s not that- I love Tarth but” Brienne was surprised, she thought Jamie would be furious at her leaving especially after all that had happened between them. “Don’t you want me to stay?” 

“I want you to be happy, I want you to be safe I think that Tarth will make you both” 

“What were you talking to Sansa about today in the garden?” Brienne asked remembering how she saw them huddled together, his hand on her face. Jamie looked confused at the sudden change in subject but answered honestly,

“Well I told her the news of Tyrion” 

“Anything else?” Brienne prodded 

“Well I told her that I was once to be engaged to her mother and-” Jamie sighed “And I asked her if she rathered it was me she was married to instead of Tyrion” Brienne scoffed _of course how had she been so blind? With her out of the way Jamie would be free to pursue a real lady!_ She turned to leave but Jamie grabbed her arm,

“Brienne it wasn’t like that!” he implored but Brienne was wise enough to know what the words of men were worth she freed herself of Jamie’s grasp “Brienne!” he called after her but he didn’t follow her out _good. I want to fight someone_ . Brienne felt tears filling her eyes but she choked them down again _This is just like Renly all over again._ Only it wasn’t like Renly at all Renly had never taken her to bed or taken her maidenhead Jamie Lannister had, Renly would never make love to a woman outside of marriage he would never dishonour her so. 

She was in the yard without fully remembering how she got there, she saw Sandor Clegane was there too “Sandor!” she called to him “spar with me” it was more of an order than a question. But Sandor seemed pleased enough to do it and threw her a wooden sword. 

She was off her game. She was too mad, too aggressive, if she was thinking straight she would let Clegane come to _her,_ tire him out and use his slight limp to her advantage but she felt too raw she wanted to hit something _hard_. 

“AHH!” She screamed thrusted the sword at Sandor; he quickly blocked her swing with his shield, her wooden sword shattered at the impact. She looked down at the wooden hilt in her hand dumbfounded. 

“What the hell has gotten into you girl!” Sandor rasped. Brienne whimpered a little but she couldn’t from words “Bloody hell, let’s get some fucking wine”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I also hope the two different timelines aren't too confusing, I haven't decided which timeline the next chapter will be in but it will be labeled "How they Reunited" if it's in the Vale Tourney or "Castle Black" if it takes place after this one,


	5. Castle Black Part 3 Brienne

With a flagon of wine between them Brienne and Sandor began to talk, or at least Brienne talked and Sandor thought

“Well don’t you want to go home to Sapphire Island?” Sandor finally rasped 

“The Sapphire Isle, yes I do but, but I don’t know I think I want to stay here I want to serve Lady Sans”

“Seems like Lady Sansa wants you to serve her from Dragonstone, besides your lucky not everyone has a home to go back to” 

“If Sansa wants me in Dragonstone I don’t have a choice, I promised-”  __

_ ‘Your debt to my mother’  _ that is what Sansa had said. Did she think Brienne was serving like an indentured servant, waited to pay off a debt to a dead woman? 

“Bugger your bloody promises girl, do whatever you want” Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was seeing Jamie’s hand on Sansa Stark’s face  _ talking about marriage. _ Maybe it was that Sandor Clegane had been kind to her but she leant forward and kissed him.

  
  


For the second time and that many days Brienne found Sansa Stark waiting for her in her room. 

“I’ve been waiting for you Brienne but it appears that you never went to bed last night” Sansa gave an inquisitive look but didn’t ask Brienne where she was.

“No I didn’t”

“You were sparing with Sandor Clegane, you were drinking with Sandor Clegane” Sansa told her and Brienne didn’t protest “You went to bed with Sandor Clegane” Brienne didn’t know how Sansa knew, maybe she didn’t and she was just making an informed guess. 

“Yes,” Brienne confirmed.

“Are you mad at me or Jamie? Or both of us?” Brienne was taken aback

“My lady!” 

“I thought you would be pleased! You could go home, your promise being fulfilled!” 

“Is that why you think I pledge my service to you? Because of the promise I made your mother because Lady Sansa- I wish to be a true knight promise or no promise not because knights pledge to protect for life I will protect you for the rest of my life” 

Sansa gave a dry laugh “is that what you think knights are for? Protection?  _ Knight are for killing  _ Sandor Clegane told me that. Did he tell you that too? When you were in his bed last night” Brienne’s fingers itched to slap Sansa  _ how could she be acting so bitter?  _ Sansa narrowed her eyes trying to read Brienne’s face on the verge of tears. 

“It appears you won’t need to go to Dragon Stone after all, Tyrion Lannister is coming to us” Sansa gathered her skirts and left Brienne alone with her thoughts. 

Sandor Clegane had been the second man Brienne had slept with. Jamie was the other, Jamie was the first. 

It was a night about three months prior, at a respite at an inn, Jamie had come into her room his eyes looked hungry, hungry for  _ her _ . With Sandor Clegane she was the hungry one, she kissed him and he responded the way men do. Virginity had been a quality Brienne admired in herself  _ The Maid of Tarth.  _ She wasn’t a maid anymore. When she was young and she first learned what happened during the bedding ceremony of weddings she thought she would lose her maiden-head to her lord husband. With each failed fiance she thought she would die a maid. That was a comforting notion to her, but the night Jamie came into her room she knew she didn’t want to die without knowing what it was like to make love to a man. 

Nothing in her life had felt better than making love to Jamie Lannister. When he kissed her his mouth tasted like wine, then he pulled up her night shift that she had been wearing and kissed her in between her legs, then pulled her shift up higher and sucked her nipples. Brienne helped Jamie unlace his breeches and he guided his manhood inside her. Their legs tangled together and they fell asleep in each other's arms. 

When she woke up in Sandor Clegane’s bed he was already gone. Part of her was glad for that. There was little love in their lovemaking but they fit together, their big ugly shapes. Their scared faces belonged together. What grace they had fighting each other was lost in bed, Brienne was clumsy and awkward, Clegane had been mercifully quick inside her spilling his seed on her legs to save her the moontea. It had been nice though, afterward Sandor slept like the dead and Brienne realized how comforting it was to fall asleep  _ next to someone _ . Sandor Clegane’s burnt arm sprawled over her and she fell asleep like that. In the morning she was alone, she didn’t know what she would have said if Sandor was there. 


	6. How they reunited Part Three;

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back in the Vale! Takes Place After Chapter 3 not Chapter 5

Alayne Stone sat under the dais where sweet Robin and Petyr Baelish watched the tilts. Sweet Robin wanted her to sit besides him but she was far too lowborn for that. The crashing of steel grew so loud Alayne could no longer bear being so close to the action and set off for a glass of wine. 

Many stalls had set up, selling all sorts of wares, armor, fried foods, and every sort of drink Alayne found one that looked promising and gave the proprietor a copper in exchange for a cup of mulled wine to keep off the late autumn chill. She sat on one of the empty barrels that were being used for chairs and held the hot cup against her chilly fingers. 

“A pint for my and my son!” A man called out in an accent Alyane could quite place, “thank you” the man said to the barkeep as he grasped the two cups between his arms rather unsteadily between his two forearms, which was strange because both tankards had sturdy handles to grasp. His son rushed forward to help him, “thank you boy, it would be a pity to spill especial since they change all the gold of Casterly Rock to get a drop of ale these days” suddenly Alyane could place his accent  _ he’s a westerman _ it made sense now she had heard his accent before from Cersei and Tyrion  _ even Sandor Clegane _ . His expression had given it away, a man from the Vale would use the Lord Protector Littlefinger as the scion of wealth not the depleted Lannister coffers. Pleased at her detective work Alyane looked back at the man wondering why he moved from the west to the Vale but her eyes met with that of his son’s instead. 

Only he wasn’t his son at all. He had leaned out a bit, and grew taller but she recognized the boy who shared her home all that time ago. When he was her husband’s squire; Podrick of House Payne. 

He saw her too and was frantically tapping on his companion to get his attention but Sansa didn’t plan on staying around long enough to let him see her too. She walked out of the stall quickly but was careful not to look as if she was running away. Pulling up her hood she walked back to the Castle.  _ I will go to my room and wait for him to leave, maybe he didn’t even see me, maybe he didn’t recognize me.  _ She longed to tell Petyr but her mind went to Marillion, if she told Petyr Podrick Payne had seen her he would likely share the singer’s fate. 

She would go to her room and fain an illness for the rest of the tourney, yes that would work. No one would ask her to go outside to the cold if they thought she was sick. She was almost inside only a little bit to her room now but she hadn’t been outlooking where she was going and bumped into Petyr Baelish. 

“Where are you off to in such a hurry sweetling?” 

“I, I feel ill I’m off to my chambers to rest” Sansa dared a glimpse back as she suspected Podrick had been following her but seeing Lord Baelish he melted back into the crowd

“Oh surely you can see one one tilt” Petyr placed a hand on the small of her back and pushed her back towards the stands. “I think you’ll find this one extra exciting” he whispered in her ear. 

This time Petyr led Sansa to the dais instead of her old spot. _ He knows if he leaves me alone I’ll run away. _ A large knight was facing someone in Littlefinger’s employ and Sansa waited impatiently for the tilt to begin. The opponents lowered their lances and began to ease their horses faster and faster. 

“His lance-” Sansa realized, Littlefinger’s crownies lance was too high it was pointed for his opponents visor not shield

“Shhh watch sweetling” Petyr whispered with a smile.  _ He means for me to watch a man die, and pretend it was an accident.  _ She thought of the hand’s tourney, the poor young squire and the mountain who rides  _ Gregor’s lance goes where Gregor wants it to go _ . She needed to do something. She needed to do something wicked. On the back railing of the deius two inches of pure white snow laif. She took a handful and discreetly shoved it down the back of Sweet Robin's tunic. Her siblings and Theon had loved to torment her by doing the same back in Winterfell, when the freezing water hit her back she was always shocked, she hoped Robin would be the same.  _ Just let him shiver, don't let it be a fit,  _ she prayed to any god who cared to listen. 

It worked. Robin started shaking from the cold, the maester charger with the lordlings well being saw him do so.

“STOP! STOP!” STOP THE TILT!” the maester cried waving his hands above his head as he rushed to Robin a bottle of medicine in hand. Sansa breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the two knights slow their horse and curve out of the way of each other. 

“Good Lords and Ladies I’m afraid we must delay this joust for a hour or two please help yourself to food and drink, and charge it to me” Petyr Baelish announced no one was disappointed and they all hurried to fill their goblets on Littlefinger's coin. Robin was fine, as she suspected he was only shivering from the cold and not having another fit, while everyone else was distracted over Robin, Sansa ran away but not towards the Castle. She needed to warn the knight Littlefinger wanted him dead first. 

She rushed from pavilion to pavilion in search of the knight, she saw the oak tree device on the knight's shield and ran toward it. 

The knight was a woman,  _ why would Petyr kill a woman  _ “Ser!” Sansa entreated all the same “Ser! I beg you do not return to the lists”, the woman looked at she wide eyed 

“What?” she asked.  _ I must sound insane  _ Sansa realized. 

“The Knight who rode against you meant to kill you, if you ride away he will” Sansa explained

“You would do well to head the girl’s words woman” a familiar voice rasped behind Sansa she turned. Sandor Clegane stood behind her, Sansa felt as if she could faint. Sandor made no sign of recognition and kept his eyes fixed on the woman knight. 

“Why would you tell me this?” The woman asked either to Sandor or Sansa. 

“Just leave the wrench go as fast and as far as that fine horse can take you” Sandor told her. 

“Your Sansa Stark aren’t you” The maid said ignoring Sandor’s advice 

“Who? You’re mistaken fine lady” Sansa Stark lied

“You are, and you’re the hound, you’ve kidnapped her didn’t you” the woman pulled out her sword, Sansa had seen it before it was her father’s sword the one that was melted to give to Joffrey. 

“I don’t know this man or this Sansa Stark you speak of” 

“I admire your dedication be the jig is up Little Bird” Sandor rasped reaching for his own sword “And I didn’t kidnapper anyone wrench” 

“Arya Stark” the woman countered 

“That was different, she was already kidnapped when I found her” 

“You found Arya?” Sansa exclaimed  _ Arya was alive!  _

Sandor nodded and turned his attention back to the armored maid “How do you get that sword wrench? To me it looks a lot like Lannister gold” 

“I gave it to her” The westerman announced, he and Podrick had returned carrying a great deal of food Petyr Baelish had paid for. Only man wasn’t any random Westernman he was Jamie Lannister of Casterly Rock. 

“You had no right that sword belonged to my father!” 

“Lions and Wolves” Sandor cursed under his breath

“My lady, I mean you no harm I made an oath to your mother me and Ser Jamie both” 

“Oh because that worked out great for King Aerys” Sandor japed. 

“Oh just please go away,” Sansa begged “You're all going to die if you stay here” 

“We’re not leaving without you” Podrick declared with more courage than Sansa would ever credit him with. 

“If you think you’re taking she back to that fucking dwarf bugger that I mean to kill the little fucker first” Sandor swung his sword at Pod who scampered back to avoid it

“Stop!” Sansa fell trying to hold Sandor back and she realized she was crying. She held her knees and rocked like a child “everyone stop fighting” 

The big woman placed her sword next to Sansa on the ground “your right it was your father’s, I’m lady Brienne I mean to keep you safe if you would allow me, my sword is yours” Jamie and Pod followed her example with significantly less ornate swords. 

“How can you protect me, you would have died on that field if it wasn’t for me” Sansa said not realizing how bitter the words were until they left her mouth. 

“You can’t stay here, Littlefinger is plotting something and it involves you” Jamie added 

“You can come with me,” Sandor told her. “My promise still stands”  _ I could keep you safe. No one would hurt you again, or I’d kill them.  _ Sansa nodded and Sandor outstretched a hand and helped her up. 

“You can’t be serious,” Lady Brienne called out. But Sansa was sure, Sandor had kept her safe from Prince Joffrey, from the rioters. He was the only one who kept her safe  _ at least after father died.  _ “My lady please” Brienne as begging 

“I don’t know how to use a sword” Sansa admitted holding the plumel of Brienne’s fine sword. “This was never meant for me, it was to be Robb’s but Robb is dead and Bran and Rickon too” She turned it over “maybe Ayra would know how to used it but I’m only a stupid girl who doesn’t know anything” She handed it back to Brienne “You might as well keep it”. It wasn’t truly her father’s sword sure steel that was once part of ice and part of a rock deep in the earth before that. 

“It’s true that you were never meant to wield it but it was meant to protect you, to protect all the Starks and you are the last of the Starks” Jamie told her in an even calming tone. “Let us protect you, I give you my word never to deliver you to the hands of my sister nor my brother. I pledge to take you where you wish to go and protect you from all dangers and if you wish me to go I pledge never to speak your name again for as long as a live” 

“I want to go north” Sansa decided “I want to find by last living brother Jon Snow” 

“The brother of the Night’s watch I remember” Jamie said recalling his trip to Winterfell. 

“You can take me there?” Sansa asked

“Yes” Jamie, Brienne and Pod chorused

“Then give me a day there is something I must do first”

Sansa walked back to the Castle Sandor and grabbed her arm. ”Your sure little bird it can be just us” 

“And what if you fall asleep, or get sick?” Sansa asked, “I don’t like it either but it will be safer in a group” 

“I can protect you” Sandor rasped

“I know,” Sansa reached up and touched his face lightly, “but we will both be safer in a group now give me time to make arrangements for my departure” 


	7. The Final Vale Chapter

Sansa found her way to Robin, “sweet Robin would you like to hear a story tonight” 

“Yes, yes!” 

“Okay well why don’t you wait for me in Randa’s room tonight, and I’ll tell you a story and we can drink sweet milk and lemon cakes and stay up to gossip all night how does that sound?” Robin nodded in excitement and Sansa felt a pain in her heart knowing that there would be no such event. She hugged him and kissed her cousin on his forehead not daring to say goodbye out loud ”I’ll see you tonight then” she lied. The first part of her plan complete she looked for Yohn Royce. 

“Lord Royce my father wanted to see you tonight an hour after supper, in his solar, the door will be unlocked, you are to let yourself in.” Yohn nodded and promised to do so, Sansa prayed he would, she prayed he would be puntional too.   
Before feasting inside the great hall Sansa found Jamie, Brieene, Pod and Sandor. She told them to be ready with supplies and horses at the gate used by servants and hunters, the one the least people watched. They were still unsatisfied with the vagueness she shared her plan but gave their word all the same. 

Inside Sansa barely ate a bit for dinner, she was too nervous. She drank a little wine but refused all offers to dance, after dinner she excused herself to Littlefinger’s solar. 

As she suspected and planned for he was there hearing her come in he stopped the letters he was writing to greet her. 

“Alyane! What a surprise, how can I help you?”

“I was thinking, father that knight at the tourney you meant for him to die?”

“Clever girl, yes I did”

“Why”

“That ‘knight’ was no knight at all but a woman called Brienne the maid of Tarth, she slew Renly Baratheon with her own hands, a I feared she would do the same to you”

“That was terribly clever of you, and so brave to risk your own life to protect me” Littlefinger smiled a placed his hands on Sansa’s shoulders “I do what a can sweetling” as she suspected he would he kissed her only this time she did try to get away but kissed him back. 

He noticed her change in opinion and jumped on it. His hand went to her breast and Sansa let him. He pushed her dress off one shoulder and she stepped back a little

“You first” Sansa whispered and Petyr smiled hungrily and underdressed himself, he pushed Sansa onto his desk. Just as he lifted her skirts the door opened, and Yohn Royce entered. 

“Gods had mercy do you have no shame Baelish!” 

“Yohn let me explain” Petyr begged, pulling his clothing back on. 

“And your own daughter, how vile!” 

“Alyane please go to your chambers, while we figure out what to do with- with this- with this scum! -GUARDS!” 

Sansa rushed out of the solar, and out of the Castle. Where she arranged to meet up is her party. They had followed her directions perfectly.

Saddling her horse they group rode for some time fast and hard with no purpose other than to put distance between them and the Eyrie, after an hour or so they slowed. 

“Which way should we go now” Brienne asked, Sansa pointed towards the night sky, 

“There, you see that constellation, it’s the archer, his arrow points north we only need to follow that star we can follow it all the way to Castle Black” Podrick, Jamie, Brienne all started a slow march north, Sandor stayed back with Sansa. 

“That clump of stars doesn’t look like shit to me” Sandor told her, Sansa looked back up to the constellation, and she could no longer see the archer in the stars either. Instead she saw a man with a crown like the old kings of winter, with his long sword pointed north.


	8. Castle Black Part 4

“Theon claims he didn’t kill your brothers and I believe him” that is what Jeyne Poole told Sansa. Above everything else she wanted that to be true a part of her believed that her brothers were still alive, there was a silence that came over her when she thought of her parents and Robb and Lady and that silence wasn’t there she thought of Bran and Rickon. Jon had placed Theon in a sort of limbo, a tower cell with some luxury but not freedom of the castle. From the rumors Sansa heard of the bastard Ramasay’s treatment of Theon, he would have jumped into an icecell gladly. 

Seyles insisted that there was only one way to know for sure, ask her sorceress Melisandre of Asshai. Melisandre stared into the flames instinestly and did not look away for some time, before finally saying “Rickon is alive and the older one Bran the one with crippled legs he is alive in a way” 

“In a way?” Jon demanded 

“The messages that the Red Gods give are rarely direct. I can see this boy Bran but he’s different-” Melisandre's reading was interpreted as a soldier of King Stannis entered the letter in hand, Stannis grabbed it, rolled his eyes over the writing and gritted his teeth. 

“I’m afraid it won’t matter soon” Jon knew who the letter was from instantly, Queen Daneary Stromborn had announced that she would be treating with Stannis at Winterfell, it didn’t make sense at first but then slowly the new traveled north. King’s Landing had been burnt to rubble. Stannis amused, she meant to do the same to him, but with nowhere to go Stannis had dug his heels in and planned to stay in the North and travel to Winterfell for Jon Snow’s wedding to Val in a week's time. Melisandre floated over to Stannis in a swirl of red silk and placed a pale hand on his arm,

“My King there is a way to become stronger than Danerys if you wake dragons from the stone your dragon’s would be fireces than hers” 

“And where are these dragon’s my lady? You claimed that they were at Dragonstone? Are you saying they are here now? Ha! The only dragons are those of the silver queen” 

“If you make a sacrifice of King’s blood than -” 

“What King’s blood is here? Only me!” 

“Your daughter shares your blood my grace” a stunned silence fell over the room,

“Do you suggest I sacrifice my only child, my own daughter” Melisandre looked down “Answer me woman!” Stannis demanded

“Yes” Melisandre said quietly but without fear, 

“Get out” Stannis demanded Melisandre didn’t flinch

“My lord-”

“I said GET OUT” Stannis yelled and he kicked over the braiser putting out the fire Melisandre so loved, and like her fire Melisandre dissolved out the door. 

No one knew where she went but her things were gone the next day, she had disappeared into the night. Beside her bed Sansa found a single ruby from Asshai. Sansa slipped into the one of her pockets and hid deep within her wardrobe. Gemstone from Asshai could be dangerous. Yet perhaps Melissandres ruby could do more than the sapphires, _will this take me? Will this kill another King?_ Just as the the ruby was safely hidden Sandor Clegane entered Sansa’s room, 

“I don’t know what you said to Lady Brienne” he began but Sansa was having none of it, 

“What I said to Lady Brienne is none of your business” Sansa tried to push past Sandor but he caught her holding on to her shoulders

“It is if it involves me, what did you say to her?” 

“Nothing you didn’t say yourself” Sandor loosened his grip on Sansa a sighed deeply

“I’ve said some pretty terrible things to you little bird haven’t I?” Sansa weakened, she felt like crying and she didn’t know why she wasn’t beside for the fact no tears would come. She asked the question that had been on her mind for days

“Why did you do it why did you sleep with Brienne”

“Why do you care who I sleep with, I don’t care who you sleep with its usually Lannisters”

“I think you care a great deal who I’m with a great deal more than you're willing to admit even to yourself” Sansa spat, “Why did you come to my room the night the blackwater burned?” she added now with a furious passion “Why did you ask me to leave you? Why did you kiss me?” 

“What-”

“Why Sandor! why” she was crying now the tears have come after all. 

“No, I came to your room and asked you to leave with me, but I never kissed you, thought about it sure but I never did I would have remembered it”

“But- but I remember you kissing me” 

“Perhaps you imagined it, I heard Jamie has this affect on women, never me through” Sandor added a light chuckle he had never thought a woman would think of him as handsome with his scars let alone a woman as beautiful as Sansa. 

“Oh shut up you're making fun of me” Sansa wiped her eyes embarrassed, Sandor had seen her cry even though he had seen her cry before _never over him._ Sandor pulled Sansa toward him one hand on the small of her back the other on her neck he bent down and kissed her. Sansa surprised at first kissed him back wrapping her own arms around him, when he pulled his mouth away he still held her “why-” she whispered, 

“Now you won’t have to imagine me kissing you” Sandor rasped, Sansa pulled away a little taken aback, 

“Was that it?” she blushed fearing that the kiss had been out of pity, only there was too much passion for it to truly be out of pity. 

“No, so I won’t have to imagine kissing you either” Sandor kissed her again holding her close against him, Sansa felt so warm in his arms like she never wanted to be anywhere else. She rested her head on his chest and spoke to him,

“Sandor?” 

“Little bird” He smiled down at her 

“Don’t sleep with Brienne again” she said halfway between asking and telling “please” she added 

“Okay” he laughed “I don’t think I will”. Their moment was interrupted by a knocking on the door, 

Sansa opened it, to see one of Stannis’s men out of breath, “Lady Sansa!” he declared catching his breath, “your brother has returned with one of Stannis’s Lords!” _had he run here to tell me that?_ The news seemed of little importance, she hadn’t been aware Jon had even been away. 

“Does Jon wish to see me? Or this lord”

“No not your half-brother Jon! Your other brother! The little Lordling Rickon! He has returned with his grace’s most trusted adviser Lord Seaworth!” Sansa felt faint with shock and excitement she meant to bolt out the door to run to find Rickon _little baby Rickon! Alive!_ But when she tried to move forward a faintness overtook her. 

Seeing Sansa waver so Sandor Clegane rushed over and grabbed her, breaking her fall, he then lifted her unconscious body into her bed, and left to find Rickon.


	9. Chapter 9

Sansa awoke to a sight she believed she was destined never to see again. Sitting in a large chair beside her fire, the wildling Osha sat, curled in her lap was a young boy with long orange blond hair. Her brother Rickon was alive and with her. Osha put a finger to her lip, gesturing Sansa to be quiet as she whispered “he’s asleep” Sansa sat beside Osha and pushed some hair out of his face, Rickon looked older but still like how she remembered him with a faint hint of Robb’s face. Sansa felt a warm tear roll down her cheek. Rickon’s eyelashes fluttered open.

“Mama?” He asked rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, before wrapping his arms around Sansa’s neck.

“No, no my darling it’s Sansa, your sister you remember me don’t you?” Rickon nodded a kurt acknowledgement, 

“Where’s Mama?” he asked

“I don’t know” Sansa lied, Tyrion had tried to keep the gossip away but he had heard what happened to her mothers body and Robb’s  _ mother is in the river _ . 

“I want Mama” Rickon demanded, it was a cruel, cruel trick, him getting to see Sansa and Jon when the rest of his family, the rest of his pack, was in all likelihood dead. 

“Me too,” Sansa told her brother crying and stroking his hair. 

Since then Rickon had taken to sleeping in Sansa's room or Jon’s. Rickon had fitful dreams, Sansa knew about bad dreams but being with family seemed to help sooth Rickon a little. It was almost time to depart for Winterfell, Rickon had left it as a ruin and what would he think upon his return. He didn’t understand, part of him believed his mother and father would be waiting in Winterfell, although he had not stopped calling Sansa mother, nor Jon father. 

It was sudden, the illness that grasped King Stannis. Stannis was not a man for showing signs of weakness but when he admitted he could not get out of bed everyone knew he was taking a turn for the worst. In the end it was only his friend Davos and his daughter Shrieen in his sickroom with him. Seyles insisted that his ailment was his failing the red god by sending Melissandre away and prayed for him over a fire. 

After two day’s Davos and Shireen emerged eyes shiny with tears to say that Stannis had died. Sansa couldn’t help but think of the ruby Melisandre had left her and the other stone from Asshai that had killed a king. There was a disagreement on what to do with the King’s body. Seylse suggested burning as was the way of the Red God which was shot down quickly. 

“Perhaps we could sent his bones to Storm’s End or Dragon Stone” someone suggested

“He always hated Dragon Stone” Davos admitted “I think we should bury him here” 

“Are you sure that’s what he would have wanted?” Val asked, she had little love for Stannis but believed his spirit would haunt them if they did not bury him with all rights. 

Davos gave a curt nod “Stannis was a very practical man, beside here is where he proved he could be a King” no one could argue with that. 

So at the foot of the wall where Stannis had battled the wildlings and saved the Night’s Watch he was buried and a plank was erected to mark to spot it read:

**Here Lies the bones King Stannis of the House Baratheon, The younger brother of King Robert Baratheon, the older brother of Ser Renly Baratheon, On this spot he battled the foes of the seven kingdoms**

**And now his watch is ended**

There was a crude engravement of a stag the sigil his was born under and used for most his life, in the end that was the one he prefered. Many people wanted to bury the sword ‘Lightbringer’ with it’s welder but Jon insisted that it be kept for Shireen. 

“What is it with you and giving little girl’s swords?” Sansa joked knowing now he was the one behind Arya’s needle. Lightbringer was still far too big for Shireen to weld, though she managed to pick it up. When she tried to raise it above her head Jon ran to grab it out of her hands lest she accidentally decapitated herself. So Lightbringer stayed with Davos who would deliver it to Shireen in time. 

After Stannis was buried the trip to Winterfell could not be delayed anymore, so horses and wagons were prepared in the yard. A brother of the Night’s Watch helped Sansa mount her mare which was parts cream and parts chestnut, she had taken to calling the horse ‘Honeysuckle’ for her gentle disposition, and seeing her fondness for the creature Jon made it a gift to her. Realizing Podrick was the only member of her party that did not have a horse, she found a gelding no one had claimed and presented to him. The horse was rather unimpressive and a plain dun color. Yet Podrick gave him a fearson name all the same, he called him ‘demon monkey’ a moniker used for his old lord Tyrion. Sansa never recalled it being used in her lord husband’s hearing. 

Sansa said a long good-bye to Jeyne Poole who was still too weak to make another long journey but was growing stronger everyday. Sansa suspected Jeyne was glad not to be returning to Winterfell and Sansa knew why,  _ in Winterfell there will be a ghost behind every corner for her _ . Theon had received a letter from his sister Asha welcoming him back to the iron isles and Jeyne made some remarks of how she always longed to visit the sea. Sansa tried to hide her laughter never in all their years of friendship had Jeyne mentioned the seaside the viewing of was now her lifelong dream. 

It was a long ride to Winterfell and a covered wagon was prepared to bring Rickon, Selyse and Shireen there in some comfort. Shaggydog had already claimed a spot on the floor,

“It’s hardly fit for a  _ Queen _ ” Selye complained on seeing it and an uncomfortable silence fell upon everyone. No one had discussed who would be the next King the North served, they were all waiting to see the Queen who was said to arrive with three dragons before pledging fealty.

“Which queen would that be?” Pyp dared to ask

“My daughter Shireen!” Selyes cried

“No!” Shireen screamed in her little voice, everyone turned to the child, “I don’t want to be queen, I don’t want to rule! I don’t want to sit on the Iron Throne!”

“My dear you are the heir,” Selyse tried to convince her daughter. 

“I don’t care! Being King killed father, it killed uncle Robert too, I don’t want it!” Selyse slapped her daughter but when she struck the greyscale scar she scratched her own skin instead. She held the pink hand to her breast and looked on with fury at her daughter. 

Ser Davos quickly got to Shireen’s side and pushed her behind him. “Gods have mercy my Lady have you no shame! Let the child be, she’s wiser than her years. Stannis never meant for Shireen to bare the burden of a crown” 

Selyse gathered her skirts and marched away, she had decided against going to Winterfell. Davos took her place in the wagon and the trip to Winterfell started in full haste. 

Finally after a long ride the gates of Winterfell were in view. Sansa doubled her pace; she could smell home. Arriving at the gates they were let in by Stannis’s men who stayed after he took the castle from the Boltons. There were so many places Sansa wanted to go but so many that looked different. _I look different too_ when she left Winterfell. She had been a girl, she was a woman now. There were new roofs and scorch marks where she looked, but she tried to forget about that instead choosing to prepare for Jon’s wedding taking place that night. 

The thief was in the moonmaid apparently a symbol of good fortune in marriage for wildlings Sansa delivered the cloaks she had prepared to the rightful owners a fearsome grey and white direwolf to Jon and for Val a maiden’s cloak. Then Sansa walked to the godswood to wait upon Val and the wildling Tormund Giantsbane who was giving her away. 

Sansa almost tripped as Shaggydog rushed past her, Rickon running to keep up when she approached the heart tree she saw why, sitting at the base of the weirwood was Bran. His own direwolf summer at his feet on his right a brown haired girl Sansa didn’t recognize although the crest she bore was one her father always talked of fondly  _ House Reed. _ Sansa kissed her brother and noticed he was holding a sword of Valyrian steel. As Jon entered the Gods’ Wood he also ran to his lost brother. When Val and Tourmund arrived they found the Starks and Jon Snow embracing their lost brother welcoming him home. 

“I have come to tell you something” Bran announced and drew his sword, he handed it to Jon, “this is ‘Dark Sister’ it belongs to the Taragaryen. You are the only surviving son of Rhaegar Targaryen, it belongs to you now.” 

“What are you saying?” Jon questioned Bran, 

“When Rhaegar kidnapped our aunt Lyanna Stark she had a child, at the end if the war our father raised that child as his own bastard” 

“That can’t be true…” Jon interrupted but Bran went on,

“Lyanna didn’t die of any common illness but on the birthing bed giving birth to you” Jon turned around stunned as the rest of the wedding guests did some mental math of dates during Robert’s rebellion, Brann’s story could be true Sansa decided. But it was more than that, she never met Lyanna and could not speak of her but  _ her father?  _ Would the honourable Ned Stark father a child on some common woman weeks after pledging himself in marriage? Or would he lie to save his nephew from King Robert’s wrath? 

Jon stayed silent for a long time before turning to Val “I’m afraid I don’t know which cloak to cover you in m’lady” he tried his best to say it with humor but he was still in shock.

Val merely smiled and placed a hand on Jon’s chest “Then don’t cloak me at all, but the customs of my people we were wed when you stole me”

“I still don’t know what cloak I have through” Jon sat down on the ground with a hand on his head as if he couldn’t stop it from spinning. 

“Jon my love,” Val said sitting next to him, “who was this Dragon Prince to you? All your life you believed Ned Stark to be your father. Why should you not still think of him as such? He raised you did he not? He loved you like his own even if you weren’t his get” 

“She’s right, you are still our brother“ Sansa reassured, hugging Rickon against her with one hand and extending the other toward Bran. 

Jon kissed Val passionately “I pledge before the gods to love you as my lady wife for the rest of my life” Val smiled and kissed his nose 

“I swear to the gods to be your wife, and you my husband” she replied. That concluded the wedding, and they decided to walk back to Winterfell. Bran has a special wheeled chair which the Reed girl helped him into and pushed. 

There was a feast of fine wine, warm bread, and roasted chicken, a meger feast for a lord's wedding but in winter it was to be accepted. The bard began to play  _ The Queen Took Off Her Sandals, The King Took off His Crown  _ to determine it was time for the bedding ceremony to begin. There was rather a lack of women compared to the amount of men escorting Val. With Meera Reed who had come with Bran, Brieene, and Shireen joined Sansa in pulling Jon upstairs. Meera pulled off Jon’s tunic but no one was too keen to go beyond that.  _ If only Miranda Royce was here _ . Miranda would undress Jon in a heartbeat, Val was waiting on the bed in her small clothes and the guest crowded behind the bedroom door. 

“Fuck her raw Snow” Jamie yelled over the rest of the party taken aback “wait” he whispered “you’ve all been to wedding before?” 

“Not really” Sansa admitted, she had been to Littlefingers, and of course part of Joffrey but those didn’t truly count; they weren’t proper weddings. 

“What do you mean ‘not really’ you’ve  _ been  _ married” Jamie demanded

“Well not really - I meant we didn’t get this far” Sansa admitted 

“Bloody hell I’ve been to a wedding before” Sandor admitted “How’s the cunt Snow!” he yelled surprisingly enough it was Shireen barely a maid of fourteen who laughed that Sandor’s lewd suggestion

“Fuck him back Val!” she yelled no one could resist laughing after that and soon everyone else joined in with the crudest remarked they could think of. In the end everyone went to sleep in a drunken haze. A woke with quite a headache.


	10. Chapter 10

The screech of the Dragon awoke Winterfell before Daenerys vanguard was even in sight. When the Queen did arrive it was on a silver mare not the black dragon she was known to ride. The holdhouse gathered to greet the Queen and her hand Tyrion outside as Sansa remembered they once did for King Robert so long ago.  _ It is the same play with different actors, are we doomed to make the same mistakes _ . No it was not the same at all, the last time Sansa stood here she was with her mother and father, and Robb, and Ayra. 

No one could denine the Queen was beautiful with silver white hair and lavender eyes but Sansa realized how young she was seeing her in person. She's _ only a few years older than me  _ she thought as she dipped into a curtis  _ and I’m taller _ . 

“Can we finish greetings inside? I'm terribly cold” Danearys asked, to which Jon, Val and Sansa agreed and they led her into the warm hall. Before Sansa could follow Tyrion grabbed her arm.

“My lady, I think we must talk,” Tyrion told Sansa when he looked past her distracted, Sansa followed his gaze to Sandor Clegane stand atop a battlement scowling. 

“Yes and I’m sure we will,” Sansa promised, eager to delay that conversation for as long as possible. Tyrion gave a nod and they entered the great hall. 

Danerys recalled the events of her journey to them how she lived as an outcast with her brother the beggar king, then a Khalessi, then the Queen of Slaver's bay. When she had arrived in Westeros another dragon Aegon Targaryen had already taken the Stormlands and King’s Landing holding Cersei, Tommen, and Majarey Tyrell as hostages in the Red Keep, he declared Daenerys a pretender and had taken Arianne Martel as his queen. At this part of the story Dany grew quiet “What was I to do? I didn’t know…” 

“The wildfire, your dragons ignited the wildfire” Jamie added with the face of a man that knew there was no hope. 

Dany nodded “yes how did you know? The city, it was terrible, the fires raged and raged, when it reached the Red Keep … all those people … if I had known” 

Tyrion would not meet Jamie’s eyes,

“My sister,” Jamie choked “my  _ son _ ” 

“There was only ash and bones,” Tyrion said, still not looking at his brother, who excused himself and went outside hiding his face from the assembly so they would not see his pain.

Brienne found Jamie crying hitting a tree out of pure frustration.

“Jamie... Jamie!” she called 

“My son! My youngest boy!” Jamie wept hitting the tree over and over again Brienne saw that it was almost stripped of bark on one side and Jamie’s knucked were painted red. She placed a hand atop Jamie’s and he melted, falling to the ground in tears. “He never knew he was mine, I never got to hold him, he never called me father” 

“I know” 

“And, Cersei - I will not say she was not a difficult woman, nor a hateful one but, we loved either other all the same, and above all things she was afraid. She was terribly, terribly afraid.” he gulped and wiped his eyes “All my life I thought if I could just be _that much_ stronger” he gestured placing his forefinger and thumb an inch apart _“_ _that much_ quicker I could protect her, but what could I do when Robert beat her? When I could hear her screams as he raped her? I did nothing” he burst into tears once more and it took a minute before he was fit to speak again. “All her life she was afraid, our mother died and she thought she would too, she thought her children would die in her arms, Jofferey did maybe Tommen too” He hit the ground in a feeble protest, “I just wanted to keep her safe, I did terrible, _terrible_ thing and it was never enough to keep her safe” 

“Shhh I know” Brienne said, lending Jamie’s head on her bosom like a mother would to comfort her child Jamie’s big wet emerald eyes looked up at her. 

“You don't, we came into this world together. A part of me left it with her” 

… 

After Dany had finished her tale, Bran cleared his throat to speak. “There is something you should know. Jon Snow is the bastard” 

Dany laughed “I actually knew that”

“I wasn’t finished, Jon is the bastard of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark” Dany’s jaw dropped

“What? What! You expect me to believe this!”

“There were witnesses” Jon said timidly “at my birth that will testify to what happened, Lyanna Stark was my mother” 

“He has her look” Sansa pointed out

“Because he’s her brother’s bastard, I have dealt with one boy claiming to be the son of Rhaegar Targaryen. I don’t care to deal with another!” 

“Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, I have seen it he can prove it too” Bran stated calmly 

“With what?” Danearys pleaded so far past grief she could only laugh “these so called witnesses!” 

“By mounting a dragon” Bran announced. 

“By WHAT?” Jon demanded

“I’ve seen it, you shall ride the green and bronze dragon the one she called Rhaego do you doubt me?”

“It’s not that - only, are you sure? This wasn’t like a vision that was supposed to be taken metaphorically?” Jon pleaded

“I think it’s a great idea” Dany was pleased that this was working itself out once he was face to face with a full grown dragon Jon Snow would drop this claim of being a Targaryen. “Let go outside now, I will call my children” 

“You’re sure?” Jon asked Bran again who nodded confidently “okay then” 

“Don’t be stupid boy!” Tyrion told Jon “there is no shame is backing out now”

“I trust my brother” Jon insisted and they walked back outside past the Hunter’s gate where Daenerys whistled.

At first nothing happened, Jon waited with an impatient cough. Daenerys raised a hand “wait” she told them and they did when suddenly two giant shapes appeared in the sky growing larger and larger until the dragons landed. 

Jon walked slowly to the green dragon. Drogo cawed at the stranger approaching his brother but Dany quieted him. It would be a shame if Jon was roasted by the wrong Dragon after all. 

Carefully Jon placed a hand on Rhaego’s neck, Rhaego looked at the stranger but he did not do so with malice only curiosity. Jon stroked Rhaego a few times a whisper words Daenery was too far to make out. The bastard had courage or stupidity, it made no matter, he swung a leg over on the side of Rhaego’s long serpentine neck and patted his stomach. 

Rhaego disappeared into the sky, Jon Snow on his back. 

“It’s true,” Dany said, mostly to herself. Before saddling her own dragon to follow after Jon Snow. 

Sansa, Bran and Tyrion watched the two dragons disappear westwards before heading back to the castle, midway there Sansa asked a question that had been on her mind “Does she often hop on her dragon without saying where she’s going or how long she will be gone for?”

Tyrion pondered for a moment “Yes actually it happens more often than one would think” 

… 

The Dragons landed in a Valley west of Winterfell where the snow was thinning and speared with grass. Jon bent down and plucked a wildflower “it’s almost spring, I think we’ve survived the winter”

“Not all of us did” the silver queen responded. “Did you like riding a dragon?” 

“It was incredible” 

“That’s good because Rhaego is your dragon now”

“Daenerys I could, they’re your children”

“It not my choice, a dragon choses one rider and will only allow that one rider to mount it until they die, and no one has ever riding two dragons I have Drogon, Rhaego is yours”

“Well thank you”

“Don’t thank me it’s in your blood, it’s in our blood,  _ blood of the dragon _ my brother called it but he was no dragon” she turned face Jon “I didn’t want you to be a Targaryen-”

“I have no interest in claiming the iron throne” Jon interrupted Dany smiled slightly

“No no it wasn’t that only I’m starting to think that being born a Targaryen is a curse, my brother Visery, your father Rhaegar, my father Aerys tell me how well liked were they? How long before their people killed them?”

“I don’t know how Viserys died” 

“I killed him. That is not exactly true my husband killed him- my first husband, my sun and star but he did it on my behalf. That’s what being a Queen is, people killing on your behalf” Dany’s lilac eyes glimmered and a tear rolled down her cheek. 

“They call me the Queen of Ashes now, I dreamt if that when I returned to Westeros the people would love me, their long awaited rightful monarch, and they call me a monster”

“Do you know why my wife Val is called ‘Princess’?” Danearys shook her head no “She had the title long before we meet, her good brother Mance Rayder was king beyond the wall, he was well loved by his people, not for his blood but the compassion he had for the people he lead, you can’t except the people to love you without giving them reason to”

“And how do I give them reason too”

“If you take the Twin’s you can repose Walder Frey, avenge the Young Wolf the people so adored. If you had the Twins, you can redispout their stores of grain to the smallfolk whose fields burnt during the war of the five kings. And lower the taxes on crossing the neck, smallfolk will adore you for that” 

“And how can I take this castle? Won’t I only spill more blood?” Dany looked down at her hands as if they were covered in blood.

“If the Frey’s have the sense the gods gave a toad they will surrender seeing two dragons flying towards them”

“And two dragon raiders?”

“Aye that too”

…

Tyrion waited a long time wondering what he would say to Jamie, eventually he gathered the courage to knock on his brother's door. He let himself in carrying two goblets and a bottle of wine.

“I’ve come to celebrate brother! Tonight I become a bachelor again, I mean to annul my marriage with Sansa Stark” Jamie was sitting on his bed he didn’t even look up at his brother,

“Is that even possible I’m pretty sure your Queen burnt the high septon to a crisp”

“I married a northern maid and I plan on discovering her in the northern custom, before a heart tree, now drink with me brother”

“No thank you- I’m not thirsty” 

“I know your upset with me”

“Upset? UPSET! You killed our father! You killed our sister! You killed my son, your own nephew! Yes I would say I’m a little upset kinslayer” 

“I deserve that, but you should know I searched for Tommen and Cersei for days without rest, all I found was this” Tyrion reached into his pocket and pulled out the locket he found in the remains of the red kept, where Cersei’s bedchambers once was. An oval of gold with a lion’s head embossed Jamie reached out and touched it. 

It was solid gold but Jamie nestled it like it was a fragile bird’s egg prone to break, carefully he unclasped the locket inside he saw a woman who looked a great deal like Cersei only her hair was a lighter shade of gold and her eyes darker, it was their mother Joanna, he recognized the face and dress from the much larger painting it had been copied from. The one that showed his parents on their wedding day. His father covered up all the portraits of their mother after her death but he knew Cersei smuggled some away. On the opposite side were two children nearly identical, only one was dressed in doublet and pants and the other in a fine dress. 

Jamie could still remember the day it was painted, father had sent out for the best painter in the seven kingdoms. The best painter in the seven kingdoms would yell at Cersei and Jamie to keep still but when he wasn’t looking Jamie would mock his silly mannerism and try to get Cersei to laugh. When he succeeded and Cersei did laugh the painter would be all the madder and yell at her to be quiet, in revenge Cersei would pinch Jamie on his neck above his doubet and would squirm to get away ruining their pose. The painter stayed for two days before returning Tywin Lannister’s gold and announcing his children were unpaintable, a lesser artist finished the painting. Tywin of course was furious he called both his children into his lordly chambers, fumming

“We’re very sorry father we were only trying to have a little fun” Cersei said

“When I hire a man you must show the honor of house Lannister not behave childishly!”

“But we are children were suppose to act childishly” Jamie protested, Joanna hugged her son to her and addressed her husband, 

“He’s got you there” she laughed in her sweet laugh, the laugh that could even melt the hard heart of Tywin Lannister. 

Later that time Jamie lied awake tossing and turning when a woman holding a faint candle light entered his room, it was Joanna.

“Can you not sleep tonight my darling?” Jamie shook his head yes “Are you afraid because father was cross with you” Jamie shook his head again “Well I’m going to tell you a secret but you must promise it stays between us, and that you won’t tell father” 

“I promise”

“Well then you know the painting that hangs in the galley the one of me in my wedding dress and your father placing me under the cloak of his protection” 

“Yes” 

“When it was painted the painter thought he was a great deal better than he was and he would add all this little flourishes while he was painting, like flicking his brush dramatically and spilling the paint everywhere and your father would mumble these little jest about him into my ear and I couldn’t help but smile,” she smiled just at the member of it “that painter, he gave up on painting us too” 

“Did he return the gold and storm off too?” 

“No your father paid him half, he said no painter in the world could capture my beauty and that it wasn’t our fooling that caused him to leave but he was too intimidated by my radiance” She pulled up Jamie’s blanket and kissed him on the forehead, “You should know father refused to take back the painter’s gold, he say because the painter had the challenge of both our radiant children he was all the more intimidated” before she left his room she blow out her candle the faint smell of honey and beeswax drifted him to sleep.

Jamie closed the locket, “Thank you for this, I mean it. Truly thank you” he extended his arm and Tyrion held on to his hand the two intertwined and for a moment neither dreamt of letting go. 

…

_ How many times will my life change in the Godswood _ Sansa wondered. She and Tyrion stood before the heart tree queen Danerys between them. 

“I swear before the gods that I never consummated my marriage to this woman” he looked at Sansa 

“ _ Am I supposed to say something too? _ ” Sansa whispered, for all Tyrion’s insistence that this was how marriages were annulled in the north she had never actually seen one done. Tyrion shrugged and she decided it wouldn’t hurt “I swear before the gods that I never consummated my marriage to this man” Sansa announced, Danerys smiled

“As Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, possibly still Slaver's Bay and Khalessi of the Great Grass Sea, I declare you not married!” 

“yay!” Tyrion added softly. 

Jon Snow came forward and placed Sansa’s maiden’s cloak back on, and just like that her marriage was over. 

Walking out the Godswood the queen bid Sansa walk with her arm and arm, “Your brother gave me some good advice today, he thinks I should start behaving like a Queen, he thinks at I should take over the Twins” 

“I think he’s right, the Vale and the North are your already the Stormlands and West lie rudderless if you can win over the Riverlands and Dorne your war will be over and we can live in peace again” 

“You think that I could rule the seven kingdoms in peace?” Dany asked with equal parts hope and hesitation. 

“I think just the thought of it makes it worth a try”  _ but how many wars started with the dream of peace?  _ There was something Sansa remembered her father saying when talking about the long winters in the north the times when the sun wouldn’t come out for days  _ The only thing that gets us through the winter is the dream of spring,  _ Sansa excused herself from Daenerys and sought out someone else, he wasn’t far.

Sandor Clegane was lurking in the Godswood like a shadowcat, sitting against a tree. Seeing Sansa he turned her, “So you’re married anymore little bird”

“I suppose I’m not” Sansa sat down next to him

“Are you glad?”

“Ecstatic, really” Sansa laughed, Rickon and Missandei ran by 

“We’re catching squirrels!” Rickon announced 

“There’s one over there” Sandor pointed to a tree a little far off, sure enough there was a squirrel sitting in the branches and Rickon and Missandei hurried after it. 

“Were we ever so young?” Sansa asked

“You maybe were the first time I came to Winterfell, but I’m a lot older than you little bird, I can’t remember being young” Sandor stretched out his arms and his mouth tightened by his scars,  _ how young was he when he got those? _

“Well what am I doing with an old man in my service?” Sansa said with mock anger. Sandor placed his hand under her chin and turned her head to face his. 

“I said I was older than you, not  _ dead _ ” his hand left her face and stroked her auburn hair “Do you think you’ll marry again?” he asked.

“I’m not sure” Sansa told him honestly “I do know however I done with arranged marriages” both of them laughed a little thinking of Joffrey and Sweet-Robin and Harry “If a man wants to marry me he’ll have to ask me directly and  _ I’ll _ decide who I wed” 

“I’ll keep that in mind” 


	11. Nymeria

The man scent was strong the man scent and another scent too,

Blood.

The grey and blue cloth wings the men placed on their stone tower was burning, the blood scent was thicker in the smoke. 

She ran with her pack towards the blood, and burning and she felt another presence, the brothers she had known in her little. 

The wild black brother with eyes of the greenest grass, and the quiet white brother with eyes of blood red. 

_ We are a pack again, run with me.  _ And so they did, cutting down the men wearing the blue and grey wings protecting the men in grey and white or crimson. The quiet brother turned abruptly, to attack a man who was preparing to stab another, she locked eyes with the man her quiet brother cared so much for. 

_ Grey eyes, grey eyes like…. _

Sunlight streamed through Ayra’s window, she turned other so her eyes were shaded and tried to fall back into her dream but it was too late. Sleep had left her, but the traces of her wolf dream comforted her. She prepared for her day at the house of black and white. 


	12. Chapter 12

It had been a week staying at the Twins and Jon had decided his men were nearly ready to return north when Bran requested a meeting with him, Sansa, Daenarys and Tyrion. “Jon shall hold the North, and Edric Storm the Stormlands when he comes of age, The Royce govern the Vale in the name of Robert Arryn, Tysitane Martell is the Dornish heir and his marriage to Myrcella Baratheon a lines him quite well with our Lord of the Rock Tyrion” Bran gestured to the imp who smiled hearing his name next to ‘Lord of the Rock’ there is only one Kingdom left 

“Our uncle Edmure will be the Lord of the Riverlands” Sansa interjected 

“He shall” Bran continued “but Riverrun does not produce the most food you must also take Harrenhal”

“Harrenhal is cursed” Jon announce ”both our fathers proved that” Jon told Dany “Let the Dragons finish the job Aegon started” 

“The curse of Harrenhal is the pride of the men who hold it, I have seen Harrenhal being held in peace for generations by Sansa and her children”

“Me!” Sansa cried out.

…

No lord has claimed Harrenheld after Petyr Baelish was arrested so no one protested Queen Daenerys forces entering. There was a collection of smallfolk living inside Jon gathered them up in a courtyard to present Queen Daenerys who the smallfolk instantly pledged fealty to under the wings of her great black dragon. He then announced his sister Sansa was to be the Lady of Harrenhal, he tried to explain her Whent heritage and other claims she could make on the castle but the smallfolk only cared that she would have the authority to arrange the spring planting and fix their leaking roofs. A small feast was prepared before Jon and Val went back north, Rickon chose to stay with Bran and Sansa in the Riverlands but promised Jon to visit Winterfell soon. Danerys left too, she had learned to be a queen of Westeros and was planning on visiting Dorne next to meet with Prince Trystane and Princess Myrcella. After seeing his niece Tyrion would travel West to set up in Casterly Rock, and Dany would see the Vale. Sansa gave a rather long list of people Dany was instructed to give her regards to in the Vale. Missandei was to stay in Harrenhal under Sansa’s care, to rejoin Dany when she returned in a year or two and had already made fast friends with Rickon. Bran had announced his plan to live on the god's eye which was just outside the Castle yet it felt like another ‘goodbye’ all the same. The goodbye’s were plentiful but there were some hello’s too, Brienne’s and Val’s stomachs were growing.

“Fatherhood will become you” Sansa told Jon as they hugged their final goodbye. A raven flew down and preached on Jon’s shoulder he unrolled the note written in Bran’s familiar hand.

“Bran says that Ayra will arrive in White Harbor in three moons turns! That she has been in Bravos this whole time!” Jon read,

“You musts send word as soon as she does” 

“I promise” Jon went to ride away, but Sansa called after him.

“If Val is to have a boy, what do you think of the name ‘Eddard’?” 

Jon smiled back at her “it is unlucky to name a child before it’s three, besides Val thinks it a girl we might go with ‘Sansa’, I know Sansa with hair that’s been kissed by fire very lucky” 

And Sansa noticed that for the first time in years, the first time perhaps since her father died, that she did in fact feel lucky. Very lucky indeed.

...

Sansa stood on a balcony in her solar looking on at her castle, sprawling and ruinouis as it was, yet she saw good foundations and trees with deep roots. Missidei and Rickon were in the courtyard pretending sticks were swords, Shaggydog running around the two of them. Hanging on her wall was Longclaw, the sword she had promised Jon to give Rickon when he came of age; when she sent him back north to take his place as lord of the Dreadfort.  _ He will need a lady then,  _ Sansa thought, spying Missandei tumble Rickon onto the dirt both laughing as Shaggydog licked Rickon's face wagging his tail excitedly waiting for the next round to begin  _ but we have years to figure that out.  _ So engaged was Sansa in her dreaming she didn’t even notice Sandor Clegane enter.

“You know Harrenhall used to be ruled by a Witch Queen” he told her.

“Aly’s Rivers I’ve heard of her only she wasn’t a Queen in truth only a self styled one”

“I’ve served under” Sandor stopped in then counted on his fingers “bloody hell four fucking King’s and every fucking one of them was self styled, I don’t think it really matters, if you call yourself ‘King’ and get at least one other person to do that too then your a King, and I’ll call you a Queen gladly“

“I would rather you didn't,” Sansa said, recalling long forgotten conversations with Queen Cersei, conversations she preferred forgotten. 

“Just little bird then,” 

Sansa’s mind swam with all the things she needed to do, in the morning she would set a plan to collapse two of Harrenhall’s towers with the stones she salvaged from that the wall could be built around the part’s of the castle she intended to keep in use. The rest she would let turn to pasture bringing Harrenhal to a reasonable size. She would commission a barge to be built so stones could be brought to the isle of faces where she would build Bran a tower house with only one level so Bran could get around easily in his wheeled chair. There were a thousand other things to do, and a thousand more Sansa hadn’t even thought of yet but for a moment she forgot all that, “Look at the sunset isn’t it beautiful?” she asked Sandor, for the first time he smiled at her. Not his twitching, growling, smirk but a true smile. 

“I loved a maid as fair as autumn with sunset in her hair” he pulled close and kissed her. 


End file.
